MidAmerica Industrial Park

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MidAmerica Industrial Park ("MAIP") is Oklahoma's largest industrial park. The park is located in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma.[1] Over 80 firms[2] are located within the industrial park including operations of seven Fortune 500 companies,[3] such as Google, DuPont and Nordam.[4] The park was founded in 1960, when the Federal government sold most of the former Oklahoma Ordnance Works to a public trust, the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority.[5] It covers 9,000 acres (36 km2).[6]

Recent expansion[]

Urgent Care of Green Country Urgent Care of Green Country (UCGC) opened their Pryor / MidAmerica clinic at MidAmerica Industrial Park on January 19, 2009. Independently owned, UCGC was founded in 2002 by Dr. Stephen R. Kovacs, D.O., F.A.B.H.P. and Dr. S.Addison Beeson, D.O., F.A.B.E.P. The 4,400-square-foot (410 m2) facility includes a reception area, doctor's office, eight exam / treatment rooms, EMR (Electronic Medical Records), in-house x-ray, orthopedics and lab services. The clinic will treat employees from MidAmerica industries and area businesses that require occupational health services such as: in-depth diagnostic and treatment for most occupational injuries; drug testing; employee physicals; and, sports physicals. Additionally, UCGC offers “walk-in treatment” with no appointment necessary for the general public from throughout Mayes County.

Tulsa Life Flight, a helicopter ambulance service formerly based solely at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, will open a second base of operations at MidAmerica Industrial Park's airport. Tulsa Life Flight was established in 1979. It was the thirteenth helicopter air ambulance to be established in the US and the first in Oklahoma. To date, Tulsa Life Flight has completed more than 42,200 accident free flights which is a record held only by a few programs in the world. The aircraft are owned and operated by Air Methods Corporation, the largest air ambulance corporation in the world. The firm contracts with Saint Francis Hospital to provide aircraft, pilots and mechanics.

MidAmerica publishes a quarterly newsletter called MidPoint to share "news, views and other information" about the park and the industries that we serve. A complimentary subscription is available to individuals who are involved in site selection decision making for their respective companies.

The Center of Excellence[]

In February 2020, MAIP opened The Center of Excellence in the refurbished space of the former OSU Institute of Technology Training Center, which closed in December 2018.[7] The 25,000-square-foot Center is consortium-based and dedicated to technology, training and career opportunities.[7]

MidAmerica Industrial Park Airport[]

MAIP has its own airfield. The MidAmerica Industrial Park Airport features a 5,000 foot asphalt runway which was refurbished in 2016.[8]

New leadership[]

In November 2012, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin appointed David Stewart as the chief administrative officer of the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority (OOWA). He succeeded Sanders Mitchell, who had headed the authority for 35 years before retiring. Stewart was formerly president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC and the wholly owned parent/holding company of the Cherokee Nation, which is charged with the economic development and business diversification across the Cherokee Nation's business entities.[9] Sanders Mitchell had been hired by OOWA in 1977 to serve as general manager of the industrial park. He was promoted to the position of general manager for OOWA in 1990, following the death of the original chief administrative office, board member and founder of the Mid-America Industrial Park, Gene R. Redden, who served in this capacity from its inception in 1961 until his death in 1990. [a][11] Edited 7/26/2021 by Robert H. Redden, eldest son of Gene R. Redden with assistance from Roger C. Redden, Gene Redden's other son.

Notes[]

  1. ^ Gene R. Redden had come to OOWA in 1947 as its first General Manager. During 1958 and 1959, Gene Redden wrote a proposal about how a large part of the Ordnance Works land could be purchased from the U.S. General Services Administration, (GSA), and turned into what would have been at that time the largest industrial park in the United States. Gene Redden took his proposal to the Pryor Chamber of Commerce and other local leaders and to State and national officials from Oklahoma and convinced them to urge the GSA to allow the sale of the OOWA land to a Trust established by the State of Oklahoma. This Trust would become the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority Trust to manage and operate the property as an industrial park. The State of Oklahoma would not put up any money for the $1.7 million purchase price, but instead would be the supporter of the trust and if it failed the land would escheat to the State of Oklahoma. Financing of the purchase was put up by a secured loan from The First National Bank of Tulsa, whose Executive Vice-President, Russell F. Hunt, would be placed on the OOWA Board of Directors as its Chairman, appointed for life by Everett Boecher, President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate. Gene Redden was appointed for life by Oklahoma's Governor, J. Howard Edmondson, as the Trust Administrator. Oklahoma City businessman, Burke Webb, was the third permanent lifetime member of the OOWA Board and was appointed by J.D. McCarty, Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. After Gene Redden took over as Administrator, a salvage company was retained to salvage as much of the old powder plant as it could, with half of the sale proceeds to go to OOWA. The salvage funds received by OOWA from the sales more than paid off the First National Bank purchase loan and the Trust was debt free. The MidAmerica Industrial Park continued to prosper from that point on for 60 years to date through its succession of skilled management teams. Gene Redden is recognized throughout the State of Oklahoma as the "Founder of the MidAmerical Industrial Park" and is attested to by a Joint Resolution presented to him in person during a joint meeting of the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives held on May 2, 1989. Gene Redden's tribute as MAIP Founder is inscribed onto a bronze plaque outside the entrance to the MAIP Administrative Office that reads: "GENE R. REDDEN, Founder of the MidAmerica Industrial Park...A man of vision, insight and perseverance. Gene Redden recognized the vast potential of the former World War II powder plant located on this site. Redden envisioned an Industrial complex that would employ thousands of northeastern Oklahomans. Today, Gene Redden's dream is a reality. For 29 years he served the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority as Administrator of the MidAmerica Industrial Park. His courage and enthusiasm knew no limits. This facility is dedicated in his honor." .[10]

References[]

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2012-11-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). MidAmerica Industrial Park Website-Overview
  2. ^ "About Chouteau, Area Overview". Chouteau Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  3. ^ http://www.maip.com/midamerica/documents/Overview-MidAmComp.pdf. MidAmerica Industrial Park Website-Company Characteristics
  4. ^ "MidAmerica Industrial Park". Chouteau Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  5. ^ [1] Everett, Dianna. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Oklahoma Ordinance Works. Retrieved February 23, 2013."
  6. ^ "Small-town Pryor getting some big hits". Tulsa World: tulsaworld.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-11. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
  7. ^ a b "Center of Excellence to aid workforce development at MidAmerica Industrial Park". Rhett Morgan, Tulsa World (posted on MAIP website), February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Airport at MidAmerica Industrial Park to receive upgrades and improvements". Cydney Baron, MAIP, January 18, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. ^ McNutt, Michael. News OK. "New head of MidAmerica Industrial Park is named. "November 30, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2013.[2]
  10. ^ Everett, Dianna. "Oklahoma Ordnance Works." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Accessed January 20, 2017.
  11. ^ Pryor Times. "Mitchell announces retirement from MAIP." March 13, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2013.[3]

External links[]

Coordinates: 36°14′46″N 95°17′10″W / 36.24611°N 95.28611°W / 36.24611; -95.28611

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